Mr2 mk2 : stock wheels and possible boot leak

[doctorwedgeworth]

Hello,

Just bought my first mr2 and I love it!

Couple of questions though. First, what are the stock wheels for these, are they readily available and is that any reason not to put th back? Read somewhere about tyres being an issue not but I'm not sure.

Second, they washed it before I bought it and the inside of the back boot was sodden. By the time I drove it home it was mostly evaporated but smells a bit musty. It looks like they managed to get water in the speakers so I guess they might have been a little overzealous with the power washer but there is quite a bit of rust under one side of the spoiler. Anyone else run into a leak here? Is it an easy fix?

Thanks

[thomp1983]

Spoiler seals and the boot seals can fail with age using a hose you should be able to work out where yours is leaking.

There were 3 tyoes of stock wheel depending on the year, the original rev1 circa 90/91 had 14 inch wheels rev2+ upto 98 had the normal flat 5 spokes in 15 inch and the rev5 had a different design 15 inch

Rear tyres in stock sizes are the issue with toyo tt1's being the only decent tyre left and they'll run out eventually

[Draven]

Leak will most probably be with the spoiler seals you don't state which rev mr2 you have.

As said above getting decent tyres in standard sizes is becoming difficult. You're better off getting a set of 16s or 17s.



There is a lot of argument about 17s ruining the handling due to the lower profile tyre. I found that it would tram-line more often. Make sure you keep the stagger with at least the tyres if you cannot get staggered wheels.

You will need a wider wheel / tyre on the rear.. the MR2 is very tail happy and is known to snap oversteer.

The ONE piece of advice especially for the turbo. RESPECT the car or it will find a hedge/tree/bush.

[doctorwedgeworth]

Thanks. It's a 1998 so am I right that the oversteer is mostly a problem with the first revision? There's no turbo and the wheels have already been changed to 16" dezent (I think 16, I'll check later) was considering putting stock back on to save the insurance bump but the cost will probably be the same so might leave it for now.

I'll see if I can find the source of the leak this weekend and take the spoiler off if necessary and put some rubber grommets in, it's a bit rusty under one side anyway so could do with a touch up.

Thanks for the help.

[Draven]

I'm afraid the snap over steer is a apparent in all revisions of the car just worse in rev1 1990 cars. It is a car that needs to be respected in the wet. Good tyres are a must.

[Draven]

1998 will be a rev5 the last revision. You can order new spoiler seals from Toyota.

[craig]

1998 will be a rev5 the last revision. You can order new spoiler seals from Toyota.

They've strangely enough stopped producing one of the gaskets.

[Draven]

1998 will be a rev5 the last revision. You can order new spoiler seals from Toyota.

They've strangely enough stopped producing one of the gaskets.

Well when I last tried to get parts I was told that they were winding down production of spares due to the car being more than 15 years old.

[aussieGT]

I'm afraid the snap over steer is a apparent in all revisions of the car just worse in rev1 1990 cars. It is a car that needs to be respected in the wet. Good tyres are a must.

As has been said previously, complaining about 'snap oversteer' in any MR2 is like complaining about 'snap gravity' when riding a motorcycle. "Yeah, there I was cornering really nice, then the bike just fell over. Must be a design fault"

Push any machine beyond its' limits and it will fail. I guess it's not a 'well known' phenomenon or design fault with rear engined porches as they are priced out of muppet range.

Not saying that anyone here is a muppet, but those who coined that annoying term in reference to the mr2 looking for something to blame are.

I have had my sw flick me around more than once, that was pushing the car and the track too hard. Cars fault? Nope, all mine.

I only have limited track time, no doubt other here have far more experience taking these cars to their limits - they may like to give their opinion but could just be tired of explaining their take on the 'snap oversteer' myth.

No doubt the car does need to be respected in the wet, they can be unforgiving but i'd argue that's a characteristic of a mid engined car. Running a non staggered setup is just tempting fate through foolishness.

[sonic1999]

IF you have 16 inch wheels on it now best bet stick with them as tyre choice will be good and by what many seem to say good compromise for handling and ride and as been said make sure wider tyres on rear

[pbmr2]

had use of a rev1 with super crap rear tyres and a non staggered setup. yeah the back stepped out but never snapped. they have less angle while sliding before the point of no return but if you are managing the weight shift like you should be, it's not a problem if the speed isn't too high for the road.

lifting off the power half way round a bend because the entry speed was too high causes snap overstear.. just in this car the heavy part is behind you. it can be caught if you have good reactions and know what you are feeling for. and there is enough road left to catch it. that is not to say this is the correct way to drive it though.

i had really bad tyres on the back of my current rev 4 and in the wet it would wag it's tail around. not an issue at all and was quite enjoyable if making fast progress wasn't top of the list. found it to be quite progressive really and not snappy at all.

a boot load of power, an arm full of lock and some water could cause it to go past the point of no return with ease. you'd have to drive like a 17 year old in a corsa with no reactions to the feedback the car is giving when it starts to move.

just came back from 2 weeks in the alps with snow and ice etc. not an issue. it's all about weight management and reacting to the feedback. or predicting it.

rust can be an issue. get it sorted sooner rather than later. if you say it's around the speakers then best get the plastics off and have a look inside.

welcome to mr2ness, this is not a widdow maker car.

[rev3gtturbo]

There were 3 tyoes of stock wheel depending on the year, the original rev1 circa 90/91 had 14 inch wheels rev2+ upto 98 had the normal flat 5 spokes in 15 inch and the rev5 had a different design 15 inch

The rev2 had 14 inch wheels as standard. A mod by rev2 owners to make the car look like a rev3 was to put rev3 15 inch wheels on it (as in 2nd pic).

About 3 years ago I discovered there was another version of the 15 inch flat 5 spoke wheels.
At a glance they look the same... but when you clean them or check the tyre pressures they are obviously different (and now that I have seen it for some unknown reason I look for it when I see another mr2 on 15s).
Both have the same Toyota branding and size info. Both cars were rev3 turbos.
The difference is where the rim meets the tyre. One has a wheel bead that is nicely rounded. The other has a bead that curves outwards to a flat edge perpendicular to the road.
I like one but not the other, so guess which wheels I kept when I sold one of the cars.

I might still have pics so you can see the difference.

[Odin_S]

Please don't listen to the pist above. I would have thought your MR2 knowledge would have been better having been in the scene 10 years...
Pictures in a previous post are accurate
Rev 1 had 14"
Rev 2-4, 15"
Rev 5 , 15"
If you wanna get really nerdy, Rev 4 alloys were given a crome finish but still had the same design as rev 2 and 3.

The characteristics are inherited of a mid engine car. Drive it like a front wheel drive car and well you'll be a statistic. I think the record I've seen on here is one week for a new owner finding out the hard way the limit of their skill.

[pbmr2]

Stock rev 4 alloys. With the optional extra locking wheel nuts (which are crap)

[aussieGT]

If you wanna get really nerdy, Rev 4 alloys were given a crome finish but still had the same design as rev 2 and 3.

If you wanted to be really really nerdy, you'd say that rev4 wheel were diamond polished and that the centre caps featured the toyota logo, which rev2 and 3 did not.

[rev3gtturbo]

I first got into the MR2 scene back in 2000 and there were quite a few rev2/3 cars around then.
Back then (but not in recent years!) the easiest way to tell them apart was the rear spoiler, rear lights and wheels.

The rev2 split rear wing/spoiler, square rear lights and 14 inch wheels. The newest ones I ever saw were on a K reg (so 1st August 92 - 31st July 93).

The next gen had the rev3 rear spoiler, round rear lights and 15 inch wheels. The oldest ones I ever saw were on a L reg (so 1st August 93 - 31st July 94).

In those days I never saw 15 inch wheels on a car with rev2 bodywork. The IMOC buyers guide says the 15 inch wheels did not come out until 1994 which was a rev3 year not a rev2 year.

Quoting the IMOC MR2 Buyers Guide
http://www.imoc.co.uk/technical/buyersg ... sGuide.htm

Comparison of the models available:

Model

BHP

Years available

How to tell them apart

Coupe 119bhp 1990-1992 No rear spoiler, 14" wheels
GT Coupe 158bhp 1990-1994 Rear spoiler, sunroof, 14" wheels, square rear light cluster
GT T-Bar 158bhp 1990-1994 Rear spoiler, removable roof panels, 14"wheels, square rear light cluster
GT Coupe 175bhp 1994-1998 Rear spoiler, sunroof, 15" wheels, round rear light cluster
GT T-Bar 175bhp 1994-1998 Rear spoiler, removable roof panels, 15" wheels, round rear light cluster
10th Aniv 175bhp 1995 Wooden steering wheel, chrome kick plates, different wheels, 10th aniv badge
GT Coupe 175bhp 1998-2000 Round spoke 15" wheels, large adjustable rear spoiler, clear front light cluster

To confuse matters, over the years some of the rev1/2 guys have bought rev3+ rear light clusters and centre sections, the rear spoiler and 15 inch wheels to make the car outwardly look like the newer revisions. (Some also buy the turbo engine bay lids to make an NA look like a turbo).

Plenty of old IMOC threads of this happening which is why it is not so easy to tell what revision a car is. With so many cars being scrapped in recent years it has become easier to get the parts that can make a car look like a different revision.

If I see a car which is a mix and match of revisions then one of its owners has either been an enthusiast trying to make a car look like a different revision, or it has been crashed/damaged and repaired with what was available at the time.

[gavsdavs]

I first got into the MR2 scene back in 2000 and there were quite a few rev2/3 cars around then.
Back then (but not in recent years!) the easiest way to tell them apart was the rear spoiler, rear lights and wheels.

The rev2 split rear wing/spoiler, square rear lights and 14 inch wheels. The newest ones I ever saw were on a K reg (so 1st August 92 - 31st July 93).

The next gen had the rev3 rear spoiler, round rear lights and 15 inch wheels. The oldest ones I ever saw were on a L reg (so 1st August 93 - 31st July 94).

In those days I never saw 15 inch wheels on a car with rev2 bodywork. The IMOC buyers guide says the 15 inch wheels did not come out until 1994 which was a rev3 year not a rev2 year.

Quoting the IMOC MR2 Buyers Guide
http://www.imoc.co.uk/technical/buyersg ... sGuide.htm

Comparison of the models available:

Model

BHP

Years available

How to tell them apart

Coupe 119bhp 1990-1992 No rear spoiler, 14" wheels
GT Coupe 158bhp 1990-1994 Rear spoiler, sunroof, 14" wheels, square rear light cluster
GT T-Bar 158bhp 1990-1994 Rear spoiler, removable roof panels, 14"wheels, square rear light cluster
GT Coupe 175bhp 1994-1998 Rear spoiler, sunroof, 15" wheels, round rear light cluster
GT T-Bar 175bhp 1994-1998 Rear spoiler, removable roof panels, 15" wheels, round rear light cluster
10th Aniv 175bhp 1995 Wooden steering wheel, chrome kick plates, different wheels, 10th aniv badge
GT Coupe 175bhp 1998-2000 Round spoke 15" wheels, large adjustable rear spoiler, clear front light cluster

To confuse matters, over the years some of the rev1/2 guys have bought rev3+ rear light clusters and centre sections, the rear spoiler and 15 inch wheels to make the car outwardly look like the newer revisions. (Some also buy the turbo engine bay lids to make an NA look like a turbo).

Plenty of old IMOC threads of this happening which is why it is not so easy to tell what revision a car is. With so many cars being scrapped in recent years it has become easier to get the parts that can make a car look like a different revision.

If I see a car which is a mix and match of revisions then one of its owners has either been an enthusiast trying to make a car look like a different revision, or it has been crashed/damaged and repaired with what was available at the time.

I got mine in 1999, it's a rev 2 from april 1992. It came with 15 inch wheels - pretty sure only the rev1s have 14 inch wheels.

[doctorwedgeworth]

Thanks for all the advice. Didn't realise they were supposed to be staggered, just checked it and it has 17in dezents with wider tyres at the front!! Have 205/40/17 at the back and 215/40/17 at the front.

I'll swap them round tomorrow.

[doctorwedgeworth]

I actually have a spare set of 4 215/40/17 with different speed rating (not Z, R) would it be better to have wider all around?

[sonic1999]

You are meant to have stagger ie, wider rims on rear but if all same best way round is to fit wider tyres to rear couple of sizes bigger than front for example 215 on front and 235 on rear